Attention all Entergy Arkansas customers! You can recycle an old refrigerator or freezer and receive a $25 rebate, with free pickup included. Not only is this a convenient way to remove your old, energy-inefficient refrigerators and freezers, but it also ensures they won’t end up in a landfill. After they are dismantled by recycling technicians, 95% of the materials (such as plastic, metals, and glass) will be recycled! Click here to learn more.

Earth Day began on April 22, 1970, at a time when pollution was largely unregulated and environmental protection was not yet a national priority. U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson helped organize the first Earth Day as a nationwide “teach-in” to bring attention to air and water pollution, habitat loss, and public health. An estimated 20 million Americans participated, making it one of the largest civic demonstrations in U.S. history. The momentum from that first Earth Day helped push environmental issues into the mainstream and contributed to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency later that same year, along with major environmental laws that followed. Earth Day reminds us that caring for the environment can happen at every scale, from national action to planting something meaningful right in our own neighborhoods.

The PHUMC Green Team is proud to announce that we now have a battery tube available at the church for recycling any old batteries! It is very important to recycle batteries because it prevents more toxins and materials from entering landfills, as well as helps conserve the natural resources of our planet. The battery recycling tube is located outside of Entrance 9 (phumc.com/maps) by the donation station. We encourage you to utilize this resource and recycle your old batteries!

The Green Team encourages you to keep all those old computers, hard drives, CPUs, smartphones, and other electronics, and bring them to the FREE e-waste collection events that happen periodically. The Regional Recycling & Waste Reduction District is putting on this event because it is so important to dispose of e-waste properly and responsibly. Many electronic items contain hazardous wastes like lead and mercury. These hazardous chemicals are detrimental to human health and the environment, and we do not want them in our local landfills. You can find out about these events by going to regionalrecycling.org.

The Green Team encourages you to check out the City of Little Rock’s Green Restaurant Program! When you choose a certified Green Restaurant in Little Rock, you’re supporting local establishments that actively reduce waste, promote responsible sourcing, and take steps to protect the environment.

Here are the places in Little Rock that are Certified Green. Don’t see your favorite place on the list? Encourage them to apply by contacting the Sustain Little Rock Facebook page.

The Green Team encourages you to consider adding native plants to your yard this spring! Native plants are adapted to our local climate and soils, require less water and maintenance once established, and provide essential food and habitat for birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. A native plant sale is a great opportunity to find beautiful, hardy plants that support the natural world right outside your door. Even adding a few natives to an existing garden can make a meaningful difference for wildlife and help restore habitat in our community. The Audubon Society of Little Rock has native plants for sale in the spring and fall.

Did you know that Kroger accepts not only plastic grocery sacks, but also resealable zipper bags, bread and cereal bags, dry-cleaning bags, outer plastic wrap, shipping materials, and bubble wrap? These are items that are often difficult to recycle for free.